Kardashian Sweatshop Scandal Stirs Rumors Of Child Laborers, Unsafe Factories
Are the Kardashians unknowingly sponsoring child labor?
Star Magazine published a report today, according to Radar Online, alleging that several of the Kardashian family's lifestyle and fashion brands, including ShoeDazzle and Kris Jenner 'Kollection' for QVC, are manufactured in sweatshops that employ underage and overworked laborers.
The report charges that workers in the area of China where the Kardashimerch is produced aren't held to government regulations, often pushed to toil in hot factories seven days a week with minimal breaks for just $1/hour.
To read the full article, go here.
What made me want to do a post on it was the comments that followed the article. Since the Kardashian family is know for their less than savory behavior, people automatically assumed that the accusations are true, and even worse, intentional. I beg to differ.
Love or hate the Kardashian family, as little rosebuds of the industry, we know better.
1. They Kardashians license their names. Maybe they have creative imput on the style and direction of their clothing lines, but they aren't sitting there, cutting patterns and agonizing over which fabrics to use. They have an idea. They have a market. They hire people.
2. ShoeDazzle is NOT Kim's designs or ideas. She's just reselling Michael Antonio's for way more than I care to pay (if you go to Cindy's downtown you can get about 4 pairs of shoes for what Kim is charging for 1). If any of those shoes are made in sweatshops, jump on Michael Antonio's people.
3. Even if you got on a plane and checked out the factory that was going to manufacture your goods, that has nothing to do with what happens once you leave and production begins. The factory owner or manager can present a nice factory, with healthy, happy ADULT workers. They'll do what they need to do to make you or any government regulators think they're all clear for take off. They just want the money. They need your contract.
4. People on the site were complaining that we should buy American. Okay. I think that's great. Your clothes will cost significantly more. The reality is, technical design skills are a dying breed. Go in any factory in the U.S. and find an older, immigrant worker. They work HARD. Their children are more than likely pursuing white collar careers. No one wants to work in a factory. Not even us. We're going to school to learn how to run the factory. Look at how many students in our program can't sew if their life depended on it. THAT'S the future of the industry here in the U.S.. We go overseas for manufacturing because it's quick, cheaper, and no threat of union strikes because there's no Starbucks in a 5 mile radius. I'm not saying that it's impossible to bring apparel production back to the U.S.. I'm just saying it is what it is.
All this is to say that we can't just throw Kim or her sisters under the bus for this misstep.
It is also a reminded to all of us who plan to go forth and start our own lines to be mindful of who you have produce your goods. It's like buying a puppy; you can't leave it unsupervised too long before it poops in your shoes.
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